Indian authorities have raided the home of prominent environmental activist Harjeet Singh, accusing him of receiving over half a million pounds in foreign funding to promote a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), an Indian law enforcement agency, claimed that Singh and his wife, Jyoti Awasthi, co-founders of the organization Satat Sampada (Nature Forever), received significant amounts from climate campaign groups, which were allegedly channeled to further India's fossil fuel interests.
However, Singh and his wife say they were paid for consultancy services related to promoting a sustainable future, not specifically targeting fossil fuels. The ED says that by accepting such funding, Singh may have undermined India's national interest, potentially exposing the country to international scrutiny.
The investigation, which began after an intelligence tip from Cop30 climate negotiations in Brazil, has also led to searches of Satat Sampada properties and the seizure of a large cache of whiskey at Singh's home in Delhi. Singh was subsequently arrested and released on bail.
Singh is a well-known figure in climate activism, having worked with international NGOs and campaigns for over two decades. Critics say that his detention highlights the pressures faced by civil society organizations in India under the current government.
The ED has accused Singh of running Satat Sampada as a front, using it to channel foreign funds to promote the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty's agenda in India. However, Singh and his wife maintain that their work is focused on promoting sustainable development and climate action, not undermining India's energy security or interests.
The investigation has sparked concerns about the treatment of environmental activists in India and the impact on civil society organizations.
However, Singh and his wife say they were paid for consultancy services related to promoting a sustainable future, not specifically targeting fossil fuels. The ED says that by accepting such funding, Singh may have undermined India's national interest, potentially exposing the country to international scrutiny.
The investigation, which began after an intelligence tip from Cop30 climate negotiations in Brazil, has also led to searches of Satat Sampada properties and the seizure of a large cache of whiskey at Singh's home in Delhi. Singh was subsequently arrested and released on bail.
Singh is a well-known figure in climate activism, having worked with international NGOs and campaigns for over two decades. Critics say that his detention highlights the pressures faced by civil society organizations in India under the current government.
The ED has accused Singh of running Satat Sampada as a front, using it to channel foreign funds to promote the fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty's agenda in India. However, Singh and his wife maintain that their work is focused on promoting sustainable development and climate action, not undermining India's energy security or interests.
The investigation has sparked concerns about the treatment of environmental activists in India and the impact on civil society organizations.
The whole thing seems kinda fishy to me... I mean, we're talking about an environmental activist who's been working tirelessly for over two decades to promote sustainable development and climate action. Now he's being accused of undermining India's interests just because he's received some foreign funding? 
It's like the powers that be are trying to silence someone who's speaking truth to power. What does it say about our society when we can't trust an environmental activist's intentions just because they're working with outside organizations? 
Is it really a case of "with friends like these, who needs enemies?" 
Or is there more to this story than meets the eye?
. I mean, Harjeet Singh is a legit climate activist with a long track record of working with international NGOs and campaigns. It's crazy that he's being accused of undermining India's national interest just for accepting funding to promote sustainable development 
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. But it seems like the ED isn't giving them much credit on this front. I'm not saying they're innocent, but we need more context here 
. It's always a balancing act between activism and politics, but it seems like Singh is getting caught in the middle 
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Was that really worth seizing?
, but raiding their home? That's just ridiculous! 
It sounds like the government is trying to silence them because they're not aligned with their interests 
The ED has got some serious 'splainin' to do here... and what's up with the whiskey seizure? Like, who gets arrested for that? 
It just goes to show how desperate they are to discredit these environmental activists and make them go quiet. I'm genuinely worried about the state of civil society in India right now 
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It seems like there are a lot of moving parts here... did the Cop30 climate negotiations even have anything to do with this? 
... i mean, cant harjeet singh just do his job without being accused of something shady? 
. but now hes gotta deal with the ED and gettin arrested on trumped up charges? 
. like, we need more people like Harjeet Singh fighting for climate justice! 
It's heartbreaking to think about all the activists like Singh who are risking everything to fight for a sustainable future, only to face threats and intimidation from those in power. We gotta stand with him and with Satat Sampada - they're doing crucial work that we need more of in this world! 
They're accusing him of being some kinda pawn for foreign powers, but honestly, it feels like they just don't want anyone questioning the status quo when it comes to fossil fuels... 
The fact that they're being targeted for their work just shows how desperate the powers that be are to silence anyone who dares to speak out against the energy industry... 
. It's just not right when you've got powerful people who don't like the message, then start hounding down anyone who dares to challenge them 
, and it made me think of my own cat, Luna, who loves to chase strings too! Anyway, back to this news... I feel so bad for Harjeet Singh and his wife - they seem like really nice people. 
. It's like they think environmental activism is a zero-sum game - if you're winning, someone else must be losing 
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. Harjeet Singh's detention is just another example of that 
. It's not clear to me how accepting foreign funding for sustainability work would be seen as undermining national interest... maybe it's because Satat Sampada is pushing for something that goes against fossil fuel interests? 
And now he's out on bail, but I'm sure the damage is already done... the government's got a good story to tell about how they're protecting the environment, and Satat Sampada gets smeared as some kind of front. It's just so typical 
It doesn't seem right that the ED would go after someone who's trying to promote sustainable development and climate action. And what's with the seizure of whiskey at his home in Delhi? 
And what about all the other environmental activists who are working hard to make a difference? Shouldn't they be celebrated and supported, not scrutinized and arrested? 